Just cranking up on my submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Have now got a lot of supportive evidence for the claim against Jeep Aust

One piece of evidence I need to provide is photographic evidence of the quality of the MY11/12/13 Grand Cherokee Laredo's rear camera compared against the current MY14 Grand Cherokee Laredo camera in terms of picture quality and resolution in a number of situations.

Therefore my request is for a MELBOURNE based owner of a MY11/12/13 Grand Cherokee Laredo to contact me for a photo shoot of the relative rear camera's quality.

If any are willing to help me in this please Private Message (PM) me on this and we can exchange details for the shoot.

I am willing to travel to most parts of Melbourne for it. I live in Cheltenham

Ideally the photos should be shot in bright sunlight, dull daytime, dusk and night time periods. So people knowing Melbourne all those conditions would happen here in a relativel short space of time in a day.

I now have documented evidence that Jeep Aust MY11/12/13 Laredos were supplied with both wiring looms and the camera by a Melbourne company.
They also said that for the MY14 Laredos they only supply the wiring looms and NOT the camera. That is supplied by Jeep Aust.

So the final bit of evidence I need is the make and technical qualityof the substandard rear camera supplied by Jeep Aust for the MY14 Laredo.

This relates to the MY14 Grand Cherokee Laredo, not the Ltd or Overland which have OEM factory fitted cameras

Actual issues are twofold;

A/ Poor quality and resolution of the Uconnect image in bright sunlight, dusk and night time situations. Substandard camera makes it impossible to class this camera as a "Safety Rear View Camera". This piece of equipment is critical to making the MY14 a 4 star safety rating.

B/ The advertised product in Jeep brochures is not what MY14 Grand Cherokee Laredo's finish up with. The advertised product is a "ParkView"Tm rear vision system with grid lines, non distorted and clear vision.

Jeep Australia has ignored the numerous complaints made to it.

These complaints will now be tested in at least three State jurisdictions that i know of, Victoria, NSW and WA. Stay tuned.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, had to think long and hard but finally accepted the kind offer.

Had it fitted this morning and an initial test showed a big improvement on the original Crappy Chrysler Cramera.

Photos attached but in optimal light for Melbourne this time of the year. I need to go to QLD or wait till December in Vic for bright sunlight test.

Will also test it tonight but also expect a big improvement.

Service Manager said, "Be thankful because its the last one in Vic and NSW and all the rest are on backorder."

No worries, I am behooved to Chrysler for something that they should have supplied in the first place.

He also said that NO other early MY14 Laredo's are being retrofitted but because I am a good customer, then I deserve one and they look after good customers.

I should be a good customer because I waited 10 months for the bloody thing in the first place.

So I thank all the members for the great support, victory is mine with your help. But from the inference from them, each must go and bitch and whinge on your own behalf because Jeep Aust arent going to voluntarily retrofit the new cameras.

They are still getting off lightly because there is still the matter of False and Misleading Advertising in their brochures and online websites to consider.

Thanks Bluey,
With help and advice from you about getting a resolution, my dealer rang yesterday and advised a new upgraded camera will be fitted, as soon as next week if I can find the time.
I think the thing that clinched the deal was the comparison photos (particularly at night) between the Jeep camera and a $13 eBay camera I had installed temporarily, using a separate monitor. The service manager was genuinely a bit shocked at how bad the image from the Jeep system was! He had previously only seen it in daylight. The $13 eBay camera was a quantum leap better!

To others in this predicament, go easy on your dealer, they are just fitting what Jeep Aust has supplied. Get them on side, be firm, but be polite. You need them out there batting for you.
I think given time, everybody who complains will get a better camera. The originally supplied one was total and complete rubbish- and Jeep Australia know it!!
Somebody in Jeep Oz should get a major kick up the backside for ever supplying such a piece of rubbish to save a dollar or two.

Thanks again Bluey,
David

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If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well. The quickest way out of a job, is by getting stuck into it!

I had my camera fitted yesterday, last night I tried it out and it's woeful. I too find the image jerky when backing up, The image lacks depth of field without grid lines and is quite dangerous. I know it's supposed to be a "revesing aid" but it's not even that. My MY13 Hiace work van has a better camera, albeit via Rear view mirror.

Today I went back to the dealer and spoke to the rep who sold me the Laredo and he told me he's embarrassed by the quality of the unit.
We are certainly getting a sub std unit fitted to the "poverty pack Laredo" compared to the limited, outlander etc.

I realise they are only fitting what they're supplied with and the issue lies squarely with Jeep Aust. I'm keen to peruse this further and am willing to help where I can.

Atttached are 4 x pics taken last night, 1st one had rain on the lense, the 2nd i'd wiped it off. the 3rd one was backed up to the shed door and not keen to go further. On exiting the vehicle I was approx 500mm from the panel door.

I've just come across this quote for Jeep Australia's web site re the cameras:

Quote:

The new ParkView® Back Up Camera(4) with ParkSense® Rear Park Assist System displays a rearview video image with dynamic distance grid lines when in reverse. (Dynamic grid lines not available on Laredo)

Which camera have they fitted?
Is it the one which sits in moulded plastic, or the absolute crap square shaped one which is just cut into the existing moulding- the one many of us had previously.

If you have the moulded plastic setup, (which I suspect is the case) then unfortunately that's the best you can hope for. When they fitted mine, it was a quantum leap over the original, yet still pretty damn ordinary, AND still not as good as my $13 eBay camera!

FWIW A mates statesman has a rear view camera with an image like that from a high quality SLR camera, and that's day AND night.

For a few dollars saved, there is no doubt that Jeep Aust are fitting rubbish, though at least the later camera is significantly better.

Cheers
David

PS you won't get grid lines on these after market cheap add on cameras supplied by Jeep Aust, BUT I feel it makes very little difference. You can see the bumper, I can either back on to my towball for hooking up the van, or back up to a wall with no problem. It's not great, but it works OK, and it's way better than the original camera they fitted, which probably came in a CornFlakes packet.

__________________
If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well. The quickest way out of a job, is by getting stuck into it!

Do you know if it can be substituted easily, i.e. replacing the camera without the loom?

I don't know, something I have on my never ending "to do" list.
It's quite easy to remove the inner door lining to get at it, (it just clips off) so maybe one day I will try.
However any camera replacement would have to be in the correct moulded plastic so that makes it all a bit harder. I may get around to seeing what's available from the US at some stage.

I think we will have to just live with our "poverty pack" cameras. (We should have spent 10 grand on the next model up. )

I can't believe the stupid decisions these boffins make to save just a few dollars, and piss off a whole lot of customers in the process!

Cheers

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If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well. The quickest way out of a job, is by getting stuck into it!